Would you like your children to be loyal, loving, and helpful? If you knew how, would you teach them to make your family better? Look inside to find out how.

Some people are givers. Some people are takers. The givers make things better. The takers are selfish. To teach your kids to give more and take less your family meetings can help.

Family meetings end with everyone commiting to make the family better in some way. Leisurely sit down with your kids. Discuss how commitments improve the life of the family. Share the 7 commitments below as examples of what you mean. Ask for their ideas too.

7 Commitments Kids Can Make:

To make the family better, I will set the table without being told.

To make the family better, I will fold my laundry and put it away.

To make the family better, I will clean the kitty litter.

To make the family better, I will do my homework before I play.

To make the family better, I will talk nicely to my brother.

To make the family better, I will take turns sharing the TV controller.

To make the family better, I will talk respectfully to my parents.

Imagine how much better your family could be with family meeting commitments. Things would run more smoothly. Your kids would give more and take less. Everyone would be strengthening the family.

At the end of the meeting, write down the all commitments. As reminders, post them where everyone can see. At the beginning of the next meeting review how each member kept their commitments.

Let us know how you involve your children in making your family stronger and your kids more loyal. Your ideas are valuable. Just click on the comment link below.

Does your family need a boost? Is it moving too fast or in the wrong direction? Inside you'll find 7 parenting commitments that will strengthen your family and give it purpose.

President Kennedy will always be remembered for, "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." It inspired the Peace Corps.

Would you be willing to try a little experiment? If so, see in your mind's eye what would happen if you told your family, "Ask not what your family can do for you but what you can do for your family."

If you like that picture, at the end of your family meetings, tell your children, "Now is the time to commit to making our family better. This week what you can do for your family?" Of course, you must take the lead. Here are some commitments you might consider.

7 Commitments Parents Can Make:

To make the family better, I will ask and listen to the best parts of your day.

To make the family better, I will give a compliment to each of you every day.

To make the family better, I will play a board game of your choice.

To make the family better, I will watch your favorite TV program with you.

To make the family better, I will pay a quarter each time I'm caught yelling.

To make the family better, I will say, "I'm sorry, if I put you down."

To make the family better, I will read a story of your choice.

Listen, you only need to make one commitment a week. Make sure your commitment is something you need to improve and you're willing to do.

One more thing, write down your commitments along with your kids' and post them on the refrigerator or bulletin board as reminders.

Finally, review everyone's commitments at the beginning of the next meeting to see how each of you did.

How do you involve your kids to improve your family? Please share your suggestions. Just click on the comment link below.

Three disruptive behaviors can upset any family meeting. As a kid, I had all three. My grandmother nicknamed me, "Butinski." I've never seen it spelled but it sounds like "But-in-ski."

I couldn't wait for my mother and grandmother to quit talking. I felt like I was waiting forever. I just had to "but in." Of course, I didn't care for my cranky grandma and she didn't care for my interrupting.

How about your family, do these 3 behaviors get in the way of your communication?

3 Speaking Mistakes:

1. Do your kids interrupt you?

Do you interrupt them?

2. Do any of your kids talk too much?

Do you talk too much?

3. Do your kids all talk at the same time?

Do you talk when your kids are speaking?

If any of the above behaviors interfere with your family communication, your family needs to change. Discuss speaking rules at the next Family Meeting.

3 Killer Speaking Tips to Teach in Family Meetings:

1. Interrupters have to wait.

2. Only one person gets to speak at a time.

3. To give everyone a turn, the speaker must not over-talk .

As the parent, you are the leader. You have the privilege and the responsibility to model good communication, to teach your interrupters and over-talkers to wait their turn, and to make sure your quiet children speak up too.

Good communication considers the feeling of others. This is unnatural to most kids yet all children can learn. Just think how pleasant the family meetings will become. You'll be teaching your children speaking tools that work. Your children will be learning skills for life. How's that for building character in kids?

Your Action Step:

Craft or buy a toy microphone. A kitchen spoon will do. Pass it to the person speaking in your family meetings. Tell the members that only the person with the microphone can speak. Consider making a rule that no one can speak more than 2 minutes at a time. Use a timer.

Do your kids interrupt, talk too much, or not speak enough? What helpful tips can you share with us? Pleas share your comments on the comment link below.

Do you want your kids to listen? Do they turn you off soon after you open your mouth? Look inside for 5 listening skills your children must learn.

5 Listening Tips You Must Teach in Family Meetings:

Look at the speaker.

Concentrate on what the speaker is saying.

Write down a few words to remember important points.

Repeat what you heard the speaker say.

Ask the speaker questions if you didn't understand.

Have you ever wondered why people love counselors? It's because the good ones really listen. They understand their clients. Their clients feel the wonderful satisfaction of being heard.

If you have trouble listening, then it's time to work on your own listening skills. Your children must learn them from you. You are the parent.

The Family Meeting is the perfect place to practice listening skills. Kids love feeling important. Imagine how their spirits will soar when they feel heard. After all building character starts when your kids begin to talk. They'll learn to listen too.

Your Action Step:

Post a "Listening Skill of the Week" from the above list on your refrigerator. Practice that skill inside and outside of the Family Meeting. "Catch your children being good" with a compliment when they listen well.

How well do your children listen? Please let us know what listening problems they have.

I invite you to claim your free access to 80 Fun Activities to Play with your Kids with my FREE Parenting Newsletter at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

Jean Tracy, MSS blogs about character, parenting, and family solutions.

The family meeting core is powerful. It holds the seeds for family growth. Why? Because those seeds insure children, as well as parents, have a voice. Everyone has a say on what to discuss, problems to solve, and fun events to plan.

Let's See Which Values Those Seeds Produce ~

Respect that makes every member feel important

Skills for listening well and speaking clearly

Connection because members solve problems together

Excitement because members suggest plans for fun events

Education because members learn to work in a loving group

Building character with fun family meetings is powerful. The core ingredient within family meeting is discussions. Discussions give birth to a loving home.

Here's a Short Discussion List from our eBook, "33 Family Meetings Kids Love"

6. Family Fun, "Create a Family Cookbook," involves kids in choosing their favorite recipes and putting the cookbook together.

Beware! How to Hold Unpleasant Family Meetings Kids Hate ~

If you want family meetings kids hate, make them gripe sessions. No one wants to be put down, yelled at, or nagged. Some parents call family meetings to control kids and give them a scolding. No wonder those kids hate family meetings.

Hold Pleasant Family Meetings Kids Love ~

From the short list above, kids speak up, give suggestions, plan solutions, and make them happen. Children feel the seeds of their personal power. You can help them grow by planting them in the fertile soil of pleasant family meetings.

Do you hear too many parents criticize their kids? Do their kids smile, blush, or frown? How would you like to be one of their children? Today, let's learn how to turn our criticisms into compliments.

Criticism is like the needle popping a balloon. It stabs your feelings and deflates your spirit. A compliment is like a gentle breeze. It lifts your spirit and moves you forward.

Family Meeting compliments are gentle breezes. They lift the spirits of each member and move them forward. Why? Because being told that a good deed was seen and appreciated lifts the heart and makes it smile.

Avoid criticisms like:

"You should do better.

"Why can't you do anything right?

"Quit annoying me!"

To build the habit of looking for the good in your child, consider giving compliments like: